Pets in the bedroom can worsen insomnia through movement, noise, extra warmth or allergy symptoms. However, for people sleeping with pets, where the animal rests may matter more than bedroom access alone.
You don’t need to choose between affection and sleep. A short sleep diary and a gradual change in sleeping arrangements can help you find a kinder balance and assess sleep quality.
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Key Takeaways
- Pets can interrupt rest, but pet ownership studies don’t prove that bedroom sharing causes insomnia.
- A separate pet bed can preserve companionship while reducing heat, movement and crowding.
- Compare several nights before and after a change, while keeping other routines steady.
- Persistent insomnia and sudden changes in your pet’s behaviour deserve professional assessment.
What Research Says About Pets and Insomnia
Sleep-clinic patients reported both disruption and comfort
A 2015 Mayo Clinic Proceedings sleep study surveyed 150 patients at the Center for Sleep Medicine in Arizona. Of the 74 pet owners, 15 described at least one pet-related sleep disturbance; 31 considered their animals unobtrusive or beneficial.
Reported disturbances included wandering, snoring, toilet needs, whimpering and seizures. Seizures need veterinary attention rather than bedtime retraining.
These were patients’ experiences, not proof that pets caused or treated insomnia. Also, allowing an animal into the bedroom isn’t the same as sharing a mattress.
Ownership studies can’t settle the bed-sharing question
A 2023 Human-Animal Interactions study, using NHANES data, associated dog ownership with greater odds of a sleep disorder and trouble sleeping. Cat owners more often reported leg jerks at night.
However, this observational study didn’t examine where pets slept. It cannot establish that sleeping beside a dog caused those problems.
Lieve van Egmond’s 2021 self-report study linked cat ownership with a greater likelihood of sleeping under seven hours. Dog ownership wasn’t associated with the measured sleep outcomes.
Together, these findings support asking about pets during an assessment for insomnia, rather than automatically removing them.
How Common Is Sharing a Bed With Pets?
Dreams’ 2022 UK Sleep Survey, involving 15,000 British adults, reported an 18% increase since 2016 in people allowing pets into bed. It also reported a 33% increase in those preferring a pet over a partner. These are reported increases, not the percentages of all respondents choosing either option.
Secondary accounts of Dogs Trust’s bed-sharing findings described over 231,000 UK owners responding in 2021. They reported 47% sharing a bed with their dogs, rising to 55% among first-time owners. Wales had the highest reported regional figure, at 50%.
Dogs Trust’s annual report records 345,703 survey completions, so the published sample descriptions differ.
These surveys show that co-sleeping with pets is common. They don’t tell you whether it suits someone with insomnia.
Is Your Pet Waking You, or Already Awake?
Look for a repeatable physical trigger
When waking up at night, start by noting what happened immediately beforehand: mattress movement, scratching, barking, snoring or demands to go outside. Then consider crowding and warmth.
Pets generate body heat, so a comfortable duvet can become too warm with an animal underneath it. Our guidance on comfortable bedroom temperatures can help you adjust the room and bedding.
Sneezing, a blocked nose or itchy eyes suggest another possibility: allergens in the sleeping area.
Separate the awakening from the difficulty resettling
You might wake because your dog moves, then remain awake because you’re worrying about tomorrow. Or you might notice your cat only after waking for another reason.
A pet can trigger an awakening without explaining why you stay awake for an hour afterwards.
Caffeine, alcohol, pain, menopause symptoms, medicines and sleep apnoea can also disrupt rest. Our guide to insomnia without obvious stress covers other possible contributors.
A Gentle Sleep Experiment Before Permanent Changes
Use this as a practical comparison, not a diagnostic test. Avoid changing your bedding, caffeine intake and pet arrangements simultaneously.
- Record a starting point for three mornings. Note roughly how long falling asleep took, remembered awakenings, possible pet disturbances and daytime tiredness. Our sleep diary template provides a starting point. Estimate in the morning rather than checking the clock overnight.
- Try one new sleeping arrangement for seven to fourteen nights. Move your pet onto its own bed beside yours first. If noise or suspected dander remains troublesome, prepare a comfortable sleeping area outside the bedroom. Introduce it during the day with rewards and familiar bedding.
- Compare the overall pattern: fewer awakenings, easier resettling, daytime functioning and overall sleep quality. One excellent or terrible night proves little.
Keep your wake-up time reasonably consistent throughout. If your pet becomes distressed, slow the transition and address its needs rather than forcing separation.
Helping Your Dog Sleep Off the Bed
Teach the alternative while everyone is calm
We favour a separate pet bed, particularly when insomnia already makes sleep fragile. It also reduces the chance of accidentally rolling onto an animal and provoking a startled defensive reaction.
Place a supportive dog bed beside or at the foot of yours. Practise an “off” cue during the day, then reward your dog for settling on its own bed.
Expect repeated attempts to jump back up over a week or two; some dogs take longer. Stay consistent without punishment. If your dog growls or guards the bed, avoid physically removing it and seek qualified help.
Adjust expectations for puppies and older dogs
Published estimates of dog sleep hours vary: dogs commonly sleep around 12 to 14 hours daily, while some adult estimates give 8 to 12 hours. Puppies and some seniors may need 18 to 20 hours. The often-quoted estimate of 75% occurring at night isn’t a reliable household schedule.
For a new puppy, a crate beside your bed can help during the first couple of weeks. Introduce the crate as a familiar, positive resting place through short daytime practice. Waking and crying are common, and toilet breaks may be necessary. Respond to needs without turning each awakening into playtime.
Helping Your Cat Settle at Night
Cats can regard the bed as part of their familiar territory. Closing the door without preparing an appealing alternative may produce a noisy protest.
Offer soft bedding, a secure window perch and suitable foraging toys elsewhere. Keep water and litter accessible. Introduce the area before expecting your cat to spend the night there.
A predictable bedtime routine can pair evening play with food; adjust the play to your pet’s activity level. Van Egmond has described this approach helping her kitten settle, although that personal account wasn’t a trial result.
Maintain predictable daytime play and feeding. Avoid starting a lively game at 3 a.m., because attention can encourage repeat performances. However, new vocalising, hunger or agitation needs assessment rather than being dismissed as attention-seeking.
Reduce Allergens, Parasites and Bedtime Discomfort
Physiotherapist and sleep commentator Sammy Margo recommends a final outdoor toilet opportunity, clean pets, appropriate flea and tick treatment, and washing shared bedsheets at least twice weekly. She also suggests boundaries such as keeping a dog at the foot of the bed.
For someone with insomnia, a separate dog bed usually gives clearer separation from movement and warmth.
Brush your pet regularly and vacuum sleeping areas. Washing bedding removes accumulated fur, dust and some allergens, although brushing doesn’t eliminate dander.
The EPA’s home flea-control guidance includes cleaning pet sleeping areas and washing bedding. Use species-appropriate parasite products as directed; some dog treatments are toxic to cats.
If allergy symptoms suggest dander is disturbing sleep, make the bedroom pet-free. A floor bed won’t prevent airborne allergen exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my dog suddenly restless at night?
A sudden change can reflect pain, itching, digestive discomfort, urinary problems or age-related cognitive changes. Panting, pacing, accidents or repeated toilet requests strengthen the case for veterinary assessment.
Don’t assume your dog needs more exercise or stricter boundaries. Seek urgent veterinary help for breathing difficulty, collapse, seizures or obvious severe distress.
What can I give my dog to help it sleep?
Don’t give human sleeping tablets, antihistamines, melatonin or supplements without veterinary advice. Products and doses that suit people may be inappropriate or dangerous for animals.
First address toilet needs, comfort and routine. If sleep behaviour has changed, a vet can assess the cause before recommending treatment.
When should I seek help for my own insomnia?
Speak with your GP if sleep problems persist, affect daily functioning or make driving unsafe. Loud snoring, gasping, breathing pauses and an uncomfortable urge to move your legs also deserve assessment.
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, is a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. It addresses sleep habits and anxiety without relying on prescription sleeping tablets. Bedroom changes can support it, but don’t replace it.
Keep the Companionship, Protect Your Sleep
Your pet’s comfort matters, and so does your ability to rest. A separate bed, predictable evening routine and short sleep diary can help you judge what needs changing.
Start with the smallest useful boundary rather than a permanent ban. If insomnia continues despite fewer pet disturbances, seek help for the remaining sleep problem.